1 00:00:01,720 --> 00:00:12,560 Speaker 1: Cool Zone Media book Club. But club uh uh is 2 00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:15,000 Speaker 1: the cools of Media. 3 00:00:16,160 --> 00:00:19,240 Speaker 2: Club. 4 00:00:19,960 --> 00:00:23,319 Speaker 1: Welcome to cools On Media book Club, your weekly book 5 00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:25,400 Speaker 1: club where you don't have to do the reading because 6 00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:26,320 Speaker 1: I do the reading. 7 00:00:26,760 --> 00:00:31,160 Speaker 2: That's right. You can finally illiterate Max by forgetting how 8 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:33,919 Speaker 2: to read. You know, go ahead wherever you're listening right 9 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:36,360 Speaker 2: now and just hit yourself in the head as hard 10 00:00:36,360 --> 00:00:38,880 Speaker 2: as you can, you know, knock some of that knowledge loose, 11 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:41,120 Speaker 2: because we're going to take care of the reading for you. Yeah, 12 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:44,120 Speaker 2: with a book, with a book, whatever, drain cleaner. It's 13 00:00:44,120 --> 00:00:46,720 Speaker 2: all good. You know, you don't need to think anymore. 14 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:47,800 Speaker 2: We'll do that for you. 15 00:00:48,080 --> 00:00:53,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, you can trust us because we don't have political opinions. 16 00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:56,480 Speaker 2: That's right. I've never known politics, never. 17 00:00:56,320 --> 00:00:59,200 Speaker 1: Even heard of it. The episode I just finished recording 18 00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:01,720 Speaker 1: kind of about the fact that in the eighties everyone 19 00:01:01,720 --> 00:01:04,080 Speaker 1: pretended like they didn't have politics, and so therefore, yeah, 20 00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:07,760 Speaker 1: had politics. So that's real on my mind. But I 21 00:01:07,840 --> 00:01:11,480 Speaker 1: much prefer where we're at now, where instead people try 22 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:15,280 Speaker 1: to be upfront again about what they believe, so that 23 00:01:15,319 --> 00:01:17,360 Speaker 1: you can go into it. Yeah, having a sense of 24 00:01:18,160 --> 00:01:24,400 Speaker 1: how people are. Yeah, and Cory Doctoro makes it pretty 25 00:01:24,440 --> 00:01:27,000 Speaker 1: clear that his work is political. I don't know if 26 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:28,640 Speaker 1: y'all caught onto that by now. 27 00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:33,280 Speaker 2: No no, no political communism, I wouldn't guess no never. 28 00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:37,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, I do love the like taking the piss level 29 00:01:37,959 --> 00:01:42,280 Speaker 1: of joke of the Communist Party, just meaning like when 30 00:01:42,319 --> 00:01:44,440 Speaker 1: communism is a thing you do you know? 31 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:47,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, I like that. Yeah, we go take the factory 32 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:50,559 Speaker 2: and make some shit of our own for a little while. 33 00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:51,200 Speaker 1: Yeah. 34 00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:52,760 Speaker 2: I've been thinking a lot about this in some of 35 00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:54,520 Speaker 2: my own work too. Like, one of the interesting things 36 00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:56,640 Speaker 2: about writing stuff that's supposed to have happened post a 37 00:01:56,680 --> 00:02:00,040 Speaker 2: revolution is you're like a generation passed when all of 38 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:03,320 Speaker 2: the politics that the people reading the book like. Theoretically, 39 00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:06,360 Speaker 2: your characters should not be political in the same way 40 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:08,840 Speaker 2: as the reader, right, because totally the thing that everyone 41 00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:10,880 Speaker 2: reading this is thinking about all of our problems and 42 00:02:10,919 --> 00:02:14,120 Speaker 2: why a revolutionism or isn't needed, and everyone you know, 43 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:17,280 Speaker 2: living a generation after that, your politics are just like 44 00:02:17,639 --> 00:02:19,880 Speaker 2: watching an old TV show, right, It's like trying to 45 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:25,080 Speaker 2: get into family matters or something. Yeah. Yeah, anyway, is 46 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:28,000 Speaker 2: that what you added an accordionist? That's why I added 47 00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:29,840 Speaker 2: in an accordion was that in family matters? 48 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:31,400 Speaker 1: Yeah? Wait, that's Oracle right. 49 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:32,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, we're good. 50 00:02:32,760 --> 00:02:32,919 Speaker 1: Yeah. 51 00:02:33,040 --> 00:02:33,239 Speaker 2: Yes. 52 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:35,400 Speaker 1: I made my living plane accordion on the street for 53 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:37,959 Speaker 1: a while, so I was very aware of the accordionists 54 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:41,280 Speaker 1: in pop culture because there weren't a lot of them. Yeah, 55 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:47,000 Speaker 1: but what I was aware of was awkward transitions into 56 00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:48,520 Speaker 1: resuming the story. 57 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:49,600 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, let's do it. 58 00:02:50,120 --> 00:02:53,799 Speaker 1: We are on part four, the rousing conclusion. I say 59 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:55,600 Speaker 1: that as if I'm joking. It is like a conclusion 60 00:02:56,480 --> 00:03:00,919 Speaker 1: of party discipline, a novella by Corey Doctro, novella shorter 61 00:03:01,040 --> 00:03:03,919 Speaker 1: than a novel and longer than a novelette. Where we 62 00:03:04,040 --> 00:03:07,080 Speaker 1: last left our heroes, they had just left their communist 63 00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:12,560 Speaker 1: party and they were ready to distribute shopping carts, all 64 00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:14,960 Speaker 1: very criminally. I love the idea that there's a lot 65 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:17,400 Speaker 1: of tension in this right because they're like, oh, they 66 00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:19,560 Speaker 1: can actually get in an awful lot of trouble for 67 00:03:19,760 --> 00:03:22,280 Speaker 1: printing out shopping carts and giving them the people, Like 68 00:03:22,320 --> 00:03:24,720 Speaker 1: it's a successful bit of tension. How they're like, oh, 69 00:03:24,760 --> 00:03:27,079 Speaker 1: we're high school kids having a laugh, but they're like, oh, 70 00:03:27,120 --> 00:03:28,480 Speaker 1: this could destroy their future. 71 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:31,400 Speaker 2: You had that experience, if you had any kind of 72 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:34,560 Speaker 2: a childhood of like suddenly you realize the drugs are 73 00:03:34,560 --> 00:03:36,880 Speaker 2: a little bit harder, and like, oh my gosh, there 74 00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:39,520 Speaker 2: could be consequences to this, Like this started out as 75 00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:41,920 Speaker 2: just me going out with my friends, and something could 76 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:43,400 Speaker 2: really happen badly here. 77 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:47,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, like someone in your friend scene dies from the 78 00:03:47,520 --> 00:03:50,200 Speaker 1: terrible decisions that you all keep making, or yeah, goes 79 00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:52,840 Speaker 1: to jail or right wrecks their brain. 80 00:03:53,560 --> 00:03:53,840 Speaker 2: Yep. 81 00:03:55,760 --> 00:03:58,080 Speaker 1: We rode back to Burbank with Charell on my lap 82 00:03:58,360 --> 00:04:00,280 Speaker 1: and one of my butt cheeks squeezed which between the 83 00:04:00,360 --> 00:04:03,520 Speaker 1: edge of the passenger seat and the door. The truck 84 00:04:03,600 --> 00:04:06,040 Speaker 1: squeaked on its suspension as we went over the potholes, 85 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:08,440 Speaker 1: riding low with a huge load of shopping carts under 86 00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:12,600 Speaker 1: tarps in its bed. The carts were pretty amazing, strong 87 00:04:12,640 --> 00:04:14,400 Speaker 1: as hell, but light enough for me to lift over 88 00:04:14,440 --> 00:04:17,800 Speaker 1: my head using crazy math to create a ten segrety 89 00:04:17,800 --> 00:04:21,840 Speaker 1: structure that would hold up to serious abuse. They were rustproof, 90 00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:26,200 Speaker 1: super steerable, and could be reconfigured into different compartment sizes 91 00:04:26,320 --> 00:04:29,040 Speaker 1: or shelves with grills that clipped on to the sides 92 00:04:29,880 --> 00:04:31,960 Speaker 1: and light as they were. You put enough of them 93 00:04:31,960 --> 00:04:35,480 Speaker 1: into a truck and they'd weigh a ton a literal 94 00:04:35,560 --> 00:04:38,280 Speaker 1: ton in Jose. Our driver's truck was only rated for 95 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:42,240 Speaker 1: a half ton. It was a rough ride. Our plan 96 00:04:42,360 --> 00:04:44,400 Speaker 1: was to pull up on skid row and start handing 97 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:46,880 Speaker 1: out carts to anyone around, giving people two or three 98 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:50,320 Speaker 1: to share with their friends. Each truck had a different 99 00:04:50,320 --> 00:04:52,520 Speaker 1: stretch we were going to hit. But just soon as 100 00:04:52,520 --> 00:04:56,800 Speaker 1: we got close to our spot, two things became very apparent. One, 101 00:04:57,200 --> 00:05:00,599 Speaker 1: there were no homeless people around because two the place 102 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:04,360 Speaker 1: was crawling with five to zero. The Burbank cops had 103 00:05:04,360 --> 00:05:06,919 Speaker 1: their dumb old tanks out, big armored m wraps that 104 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:09,200 Speaker 1: they used for riot control and whenever they wanted to 105 00:05:09,200 --> 00:05:11,400 Speaker 1: put on a show of force, and there was a 106 00:05:11,400 --> 00:05:14,839 Speaker 1: lot of crime scene tape and blinking lights on hobby horses. 107 00:05:15,240 --> 00:05:18,000 Speaker 1: The thicker it got, the more scared we got. This 108 00:05:18,160 --> 00:05:20,960 Speaker 1: kind of thing wasn't unusual for downtown Burbank. A couple 109 00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:23,720 Speaker 1: times a month you could expect to see BPD flexing 110 00:05:23,839 --> 00:05:27,320 Speaker 1: shutting down some street. There was no reason to suspect 111 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:30,240 Speaker 1: they were out there for us, but it was asshole 112 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:32,680 Speaker 1: tightly scary to be coming from a crime scene with 113 00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:34,680 Speaker 1: a truck full of evidence and too many people in 114 00:05:34,720 --> 00:05:37,200 Speaker 1: the front seat of the truck and looking at all 115 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:42,039 Speaker 1: this law turn it around. The whites of Cherrell's eyes 116 00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:45,240 Speaker 1: were showing, but her voice was steady. Jose, the driver 117 00:05:45,360 --> 00:05:48,320 Speaker 1: didn't need to be told twice with robotic motions. He 118 00:05:48,400 --> 00:05:51,400 Speaker 1: signaled a turn, pulled into an empty parking lot, put 119 00:05:51,440 --> 00:05:54,480 Speaker 1: the truck into reverse, backed it out, and headed back 120 00:05:54,520 --> 00:05:57,880 Speaker 1: the way we came. He wasn't the only one. While 121 00:05:57,880 --> 00:05:59,760 Speaker 1: some of the drivers were pulling up to the roadblock 122 00:05:59,800 --> 00:06:02,719 Speaker 1: and asking the cop which weighed a detour, others were 123 00:06:02,800 --> 00:06:06,560 Speaker 1: turning around and finding their own way. Shit, shit, shit. 124 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:11,239 Speaker 1: His voice was a low monotone. I got an idea. 125 00:06:11,880 --> 00:06:15,080 Speaker 1: Cherrell's smile was funny and tight and not exactly good natured. 126 00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:19,520 Speaker 1: Uh oh, she punched me on the shoulder. Shut up, 127 00:06:19,720 --> 00:06:23,480 Speaker 1: I got an idea. We pulled up two blocks from 128 00:06:23,480 --> 00:06:25,919 Speaker 1: Alai's house, a dead end street that backed into the 129 00:06:25,960 --> 00:06:29,760 Speaker 1: railroad fence. Jose got the ramp in place without clanging it, 130 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:32,279 Speaker 1: and the casters on the carts rolled with the silence 131 00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:35,400 Speaker 1: of elegant walk away engineering until we had them all 132 00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:38,760 Speaker 1: arranged into two long snakes of shopping carts on the sidewalk. 133 00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:42,599 Speaker 1: Jose looked uncomfortable as he stood by the driver's door. 134 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:44,120 Speaker 1: You sure about this? 135 00:06:45,320 --> 00:06:45,960 Speaker 2: We got this. 136 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:49,159 Speaker 1: Charel is a lot more confident than me, and there's 137 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:53,000 Speaker 1: no point in arguing with Cherrell when she's feeling confident. Still, 138 00:06:53,320 --> 00:06:55,880 Speaker 1: Jose looked at me. I gave him a thumbs up 139 00:06:55,920 --> 00:06:58,080 Speaker 1: and a smile, and Cherrell made the same gesture in 140 00:06:58,120 --> 00:06:59,600 Speaker 1: a way that made sure that I knew that she 141 00:06:59,640 --> 00:07:02,239 Speaker 1: was making fun of me. I know for a fact 142 00:07:02,279 --> 00:07:04,080 Speaker 1: that one of the secret superpowers that we get as 143 00:07:04,160 --> 00:07:06,720 Speaker 1: teen girls is that grown ass men can't stand it 144 00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:09,440 Speaker 1: when we might be making fun of them, and Jose 145 00:07:09,640 --> 00:07:12,040 Speaker 1: was no exception. He gave us a shake of his 146 00:07:12,080 --> 00:07:17,160 Speaker 1: head and drove off. Now what but I knew Charrell 147 00:07:17,200 --> 00:07:19,560 Speaker 1: grabbed the handle at the back of one's snake. Now 148 00:07:19,600 --> 00:07:24,760 Speaker 1: we push. She set off and left me to follow her. Look, 149 00:07:25,040 --> 00:07:26,920 Speaker 1: it must have been three in the morning at this point, 150 00:07:26,920 --> 00:07:29,160 Speaker 1: and if anyone saw us, they must have been left 151 00:07:29,160 --> 00:07:32,200 Speaker 1: scratching their heads. But I don't think anyone saw us 152 00:07:32,640 --> 00:07:38,600 Speaker 1: residential burbank streets three am. Nah. The lights were all 153 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:40,800 Speaker 1: off at Ali's house when we pushed our carts onto 154 00:07:40,840 --> 00:07:43,560 Speaker 1: his lawn, but we could still hear corny candy billy 155 00:07:43,640 --> 00:07:47,200 Speaker 1: music coming through the door, which wasn't locked. Charrell let 156 00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:50,640 Speaker 1: herself in without knocking. The living room was dimly lit 157 00:07:50,680 --> 00:07:53,200 Speaker 1: by a few candles, and it smelled like unwashed people 158 00:07:53,240 --> 00:07:56,480 Speaker 1: getting it on, which they had been doing until pretty recently. 159 00:07:57,600 --> 00:08:01,280 Speaker 1: There were candy necklaces and cowboy hats everywhere along with 160 00:08:01,320 --> 00:08:05,280 Speaker 1: the bodies. One of the bodies rolled over and squinted 161 00:08:05,280 --> 00:08:09,320 Speaker 1: at us. Ola Aleeh. Charrell said he was pretty if 162 00:08:09,360 --> 00:08:12,440 Speaker 1: he liked him pretty, and when he wasn't being stupid, 163 00:08:12,640 --> 00:08:14,800 Speaker 1: he was pretty smart, which was more than you could 164 00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:17,640 Speaker 1: say of most of the boys I'd known. It wasn't 165 00:08:17,640 --> 00:08:19,960 Speaker 1: crazy for Cherrell to like him, even if he was 166 00:08:19,960 --> 00:08:22,440 Speaker 1: one hundred percent destined to crash land in the Land 167 00:08:22,480 --> 00:08:27,000 Speaker 1: of Lost Losers forever, Charrelle. He scrambled to his feet, 168 00:08:27,080 --> 00:08:30,280 Speaker 1: using a pillow to cover himself. Jesus, give me a seck. 169 00:08:30,840 --> 00:08:32,400 Speaker 1: He gave us a view of his ass as he 170 00:08:32,440 --> 00:08:34,600 Speaker 1: made his way to his bedroom, and then came back 171 00:08:34,640 --> 00:08:37,640 Speaker 1: out wearing a pair of jeans and nothing else. You 172 00:08:37,679 --> 00:08:41,040 Speaker 1: guys are a little late. Party ended a couple hours ago, 173 00:08:41,280 --> 00:08:44,960 Speaker 1: Charrell sucked her teeth. We didn't come here for your party, Alejandro. 174 00:08:45,240 --> 00:08:48,680 Speaker 1: We're on a mission. He shook his head. I don't 175 00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:51,000 Speaker 1: like the sound of that. You're gonna love it, fool, 176 00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:54,160 Speaker 1: Shut up and listen. Charell didn't bother him with the 177 00:08:54,160 --> 00:08:57,600 Speaker 1: little incriminating details. Just hit the high points. There were 178 00:08:57,640 --> 00:09:00,880 Speaker 1: fifty shopping carts parked on his lawn, the greatest shopping 179 00:09:00,920 --> 00:09:04,240 Speaker 1: carts ever made. They were a gift to Burbank's homeless people. 180 00:09:04,960 --> 00:09:07,000 Speaker 1: Don't need to know where they came from. We got 181 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:10,640 Speaker 1: to give them out on the down low. And that's 182 00:09:10,640 --> 00:09:13,040 Speaker 1: where you and You're no good friends come into the picture. 183 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:15,400 Speaker 1: We need a street crew. I count ten of you. 184 00:09:15,720 --> 00:09:18,640 Speaker 1: That's five shopping carts each. Call it an hour's work. 185 00:09:19,480 --> 00:09:22,040 Speaker 1: You all have incurred quite a debt to society tonight 186 00:09:22,080 --> 00:09:25,000 Speaker 1: with your debauchery and illegal dope fiending, and I'm here 187 00:09:25,040 --> 00:09:28,400 Speaker 1: to offer you a way to make it up. One 188 00:09:28,400 --> 00:09:30,679 Speaker 1: of the cuttle puddlers groaned and told us to keep 189 00:09:30,679 --> 00:09:34,320 Speaker 1: it down, and Ali shook his head. Sorry. I couldn't 190 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:36,720 Speaker 1: tell if he was apologizing to her, or to Cherrelle 191 00:09:36,960 --> 00:09:40,839 Speaker 1: or all of us. Charelle switched from her stern glare 192 00:09:40,880 --> 00:09:44,600 Speaker 1: to her million dollars smile. Come on, alih, these parties 193 00:09:44,600 --> 00:09:47,280 Speaker 1: are getting old. But you can't even tell them apart anymore. 194 00:09:47,840 --> 00:09:49,640 Speaker 1: How long before you get so tired you give up 195 00:09:49,679 --> 00:09:52,200 Speaker 1: on it. On the other hand, you throw in with 196 00:09:52,280 --> 00:09:55,400 Speaker 1: us and have the experience of a lifetime. I heard 197 00:09:55,400 --> 00:09:57,680 Speaker 1: her put something extra into that, and I looked back 198 00:09:57,679 --> 00:10:00,800 Speaker 1: and forth between them without making it obvious, and she 199 00:10:00,840 --> 00:10:03,800 Speaker 1: already hooked up with him. I didn't think so, but 200 00:10:03,880 --> 00:10:06,000 Speaker 1: watching the two of them, I could see it was 201 00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:10,360 Speaker 1: a close thing. Ali, What the fuck that was another 202 00:10:10,400 --> 00:10:13,840 Speaker 1: of the sleepers? I looked more closely. I knew him, 203 00:10:14,280 --> 00:10:19,360 Speaker 1: Dwayne Marshall graduated the year before. What the actual was 204 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:23,920 Speaker 1: everyone except me spending their weekends at Orgi's d Get up? Okay, 205 00:10:24,160 --> 00:10:26,880 Speaker 1: I want to ask you something. Ali was grinning now too, 206 00:10:26,960 --> 00:10:30,679 Speaker 1: reflecting back to Cherrell's million Dollar Million wants smile. That 207 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:33,520 Speaker 1: girl is unstoppable, and that's why we all love her, 208 00:10:34,400 --> 00:10:37,480 Speaker 1: much like we love ads that come into the middle 209 00:10:37,520 --> 00:10:38,240 Speaker 1: of stories. 210 00:10:38,679 --> 00:10:41,720 Speaker 2: They're also unstoppable. You couldn't stop this if you wanted, 211 00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:45,160 Speaker 2: unless you take out your phone and press the skip 212 00:10:45,160 --> 00:10:48,200 Speaker 2: ahead button, which is easily within your willpower. Except for them, 213 00:10:48,200 --> 00:10:50,280 Speaker 2: I'm going to say twenty eight percent of the audience 214 00:10:50,520 --> 00:10:53,640 Speaker 2: who were engaged in some sort of task so precarious 215 00:10:54,040 --> 00:10:56,679 Speaker 2: that they have to listen to the ensuing ads and 216 00:10:56,720 --> 00:10:59,120 Speaker 2: to you, we say sorry. 217 00:10:59,760 --> 00:11:03,079 Speaker 1: That's so often me because I listened to podcasts while 218 00:11:03,120 --> 00:11:05,520 Speaker 1: I like do a lot of physical crafting. And I'll 219 00:11:05,559 --> 00:11:08,080 Speaker 1: be like, yeah, holding a shelf over my head with 220 00:11:08,200 --> 00:11:11,920 Speaker 1: a drill, being like, ah, dang it. Yeah. 221 00:11:11,960 --> 00:11:13,960 Speaker 2: I'll see people be like I run some sort of 222 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:16,679 Speaker 2: heavy machinery and I can't skip ahead of the ads. 223 00:11:16,760 --> 00:11:19,000 Speaker 2: Damn you people. And I just want you to know, 224 00:11:19,080 --> 00:11:24,040 Speaker 2: as frustrating as it is, your occasional half attention is 225 00:11:24,080 --> 00:11:28,200 Speaker 2: what funds our entire live. Yes, so thank you, yeah, 226 00:11:28,200 --> 00:11:30,520 Speaker 2: you know, thank you and no one. 227 00:11:30,360 --> 00:11:42,240 Speaker 1: Else and we're back. 228 00:11:43,080 --> 00:11:45,720 Speaker 2: We're back. I hope that guy on the forklift is 229 00:11:45,800 --> 00:11:46,360 Speaker 2: doing good. 230 00:11:46,600 --> 00:11:47,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, proud of you. 231 00:11:48,480 --> 00:11:49,280 Speaker 2: Proud of you, buddy. 232 00:11:51,760 --> 00:11:54,240 Speaker 1: Sleeping on the streets in Burbank is against the law, 233 00:11:54,480 --> 00:11:56,720 Speaker 1: and if you can't pay the fine, you go to jail. 234 00:11:57,400 --> 00:12:00,120 Speaker 1: The city's homeless aren't easy to find after dark, but 235 00:12:00,160 --> 00:12:02,920 Speaker 1: there are a few places that are reliable. The food bank, 236 00:12:03,080 --> 00:12:06,600 Speaker 1: the soup kitchen, the library parking lot. It's been years 237 00:12:06,640 --> 00:12:09,120 Speaker 1: since the library opened its doors, but they kept the 238 00:12:09,120 --> 00:12:13,760 Speaker 1: free internet. We split into four groups of two. I 239 00:12:13,760 --> 00:12:16,240 Speaker 1: figured that Cherrell would go with Alai, but she's surprised 240 00:12:16,240 --> 00:12:20,440 Speaker 1: by linking arms with me. Library. I covered my surprise 241 00:12:20,520 --> 00:12:23,760 Speaker 1: and shrugged. I guess I looked at her. How come 242 00:12:23,800 --> 00:12:27,000 Speaker 1: you're not with Ali? He's with Serena. That was the 243 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:29,040 Speaker 1: girl we'd woken up at the start when we got Ali. 244 00:12:29,760 --> 00:12:32,800 Speaker 1: They a thing. She shook her head. Not a thing, 245 00:12:32,880 --> 00:12:35,600 Speaker 1: but you know, a thing tonight. Not my place to 246 00:12:35,600 --> 00:12:38,720 Speaker 1: get it between them, schro what's going on with you, 247 00:12:38,760 --> 00:12:42,040 Speaker 1: that fool? She pinched my arm. Nothing you need to 248 00:12:42,040 --> 00:12:45,440 Speaker 1: worry about, she shook her head. Look, he's pretty, and 249 00:12:45,480 --> 00:12:48,360 Speaker 1: when he's not high, he's pretty smart too. But Ali 250 00:12:48,400 --> 00:12:51,800 Speaker 1: Martinez isn't any kind of boyfriend material. He's okay for 251 00:12:51,880 --> 00:12:54,439 Speaker 1: relieving tension, you know, having a little fun, but I'm 252 00:12:54,440 --> 00:12:57,400 Speaker 1: not about to tie myself up to him. Look at him, 253 00:12:58,440 --> 00:13:01,440 Speaker 1: those clothes, I stiffled at laugh. He'd even put on 254 00:13:01,520 --> 00:13:04,280 Speaker 1: the miniature cowboy hat. That's why I only ever see 255 00:13:04,320 --> 00:13:07,000 Speaker 1: him at his house. He's not much good on the outside, 256 00:13:07,320 --> 00:13:10,600 Speaker 1: but in private, I shook my head. Chelle and I 257 00:13:10,640 --> 00:13:13,600 Speaker 1: told each other everything, except it seemed like we didn't 258 00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:18,320 Speaker 1: not always. Graduation was weeks away, days really, and I'd 259 00:13:18,320 --> 00:13:20,520 Speaker 1: assumed that whatever happened with the rest of the fools, 260 00:13:20,559 --> 00:13:22,360 Speaker 1: I'd been locked up since I was five. I was 261 00:13:22,440 --> 00:13:25,440 Speaker 1: going to be tight with Charrell forever. But she knew 262 00:13:25,440 --> 00:13:27,440 Speaker 1: I thought Ali was a half wit, and so she 263 00:13:27,480 --> 00:13:30,400 Speaker 1: hadn't told me about him. And Ali was a half wit. 264 00:13:30,679 --> 00:13:32,560 Speaker 1: Plus he was hoking up with other girls right in 265 00:13:32,600 --> 00:13:36,280 Speaker 1: front of her. She deserved better than that. A day before, 266 00:13:36,679 --> 00:13:38,640 Speaker 1: I'd have had the impulse to tell Cherrell that she 267 00:13:38,760 --> 00:13:42,400 Speaker 1: was being more stupid than she had any excuse to be. Today, 268 00:13:42,559 --> 00:13:44,920 Speaker 1: I felt like I just noticed a huge gap between us, 269 00:13:45,320 --> 00:13:48,160 Speaker 1: but maybe it'd been there all along. We were besties, 270 00:13:48,200 --> 00:13:51,120 Speaker 1: but we were also about to be graduates. Did grads 271 00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:55,680 Speaker 1: have besties? We pushed our snake of carts to the library, 272 00:13:55,800 --> 00:13:58,440 Speaker 1: the Buena Vista branch, where there were a handful of 273 00:13:58,440 --> 00:14:02,280 Speaker 1: permanentish homeless tents and a larger population of rotating homeless 274 00:14:02,320 --> 00:14:04,440 Speaker 1: leeching off the Wi Fi and the power outlet. Set 275 00:14:04,480 --> 00:14:07,599 Speaker 1: into the concrete benches. Someone had used cold chisels to 276 00:14:07,640 --> 00:14:09,720 Speaker 1: smash out the dividers that were supposed to stop you 277 00:14:09,720 --> 00:14:12,680 Speaker 1: from sleeping on them. There were a lot of spaces 278 00:14:12,720 --> 00:14:15,120 Speaker 1: in b Bank where you could get busted for sleeping out, 279 00:14:15,120 --> 00:14:17,800 Speaker 1: but everyone knew that the homeless ruled the Buoynevista branch 280 00:14:17,840 --> 00:14:21,000 Speaker 1: in its park The wheels whispered as we steered them 281 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:24,240 Speaker 1: carefully up the driveway, passed the old night deposit box 282 00:14:24,240 --> 00:14:27,440 Speaker 1: for books, dentened and fire blackened in the harsh yellow 283 00:14:27,520 --> 00:14:31,040 Speaker 1: street lights. I guess it pays to be a light 284 00:14:31,120 --> 00:14:33,720 Speaker 1: sleeper when you're homeless. By the time we reached the 285 00:14:33,760 --> 00:14:36,280 Speaker 1: middle of the parking lot, the wheels whisper had woken 286 00:14:36,360 --> 00:14:39,400 Speaker 1: up at least a dozen people, silhouetted and sitting up 287 00:14:39,400 --> 00:14:42,120 Speaker 1: on benches or in the grass, draped in blankets or 288 00:14:42,120 --> 00:14:46,560 Speaker 1: wrapped in sleeping bags. We stopped. They looked at us, 289 00:14:46,560 --> 00:14:49,120 Speaker 1: and we looked back. I felt like we were expected 290 00:14:49,160 --> 00:14:52,400 Speaker 1: to give a speech or something. We come in peace. 291 00:14:52,440 --> 00:14:56,120 Speaker 1: These are for you. A person stood. She was a 292 00:14:56,120 --> 00:14:58,880 Speaker 1: white lady, not much older than me. She came closer. 293 00:14:59,560 --> 00:15:02,800 Speaker 1: I realized I recognized her. She'd been a senior my 294 00:15:02,880 --> 00:15:07,080 Speaker 1: freshman year. She didn't look good, no obvious bruises or 295 00:15:07,120 --> 00:15:10,960 Speaker 1: track marks, and she wasn't that dirty, but still she 296 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:14,360 Speaker 1: didn't look good. She smiled at me and nodded her head, 297 00:15:14,520 --> 00:15:19,640 Speaker 1: like and I help you Uh, Hi, I wish Chrel 298 00:15:19,680 --> 00:15:22,640 Speaker 1: would say something. I snuck her a look. She had 299 00:15:22,760 --> 00:15:25,200 Speaker 1: checked out, looking glazed and tired and like someone who 300 00:15:25,280 --> 00:15:27,400 Speaker 1: danced her ass off and scared herself to death and 301 00:15:27,440 --> 00:15:31,720 Speaker 1: also was struggling with a shitty boyfriend. Hello. She had 302 00:15:31,720 --> 00:15:33,920 Speaker 1: a great voice. I couldn't remember her name, but a 303 00:15:33,920 --> 00:15:36,240 Speaker 1: clear picture came to me her singing in front of 304 00:15:36,280 --> 00:15:40,400 Speaker 1: the school jazz band at an assembly. Uh, I just 305 00:15:40,480 --> 00:15:43,400 Speaker 1: heard of the shopping carts between us. We'd pushed forty. 306 00:15:44,040 --> 00:15:45,880 Speaker 1: What if there were a lot more people than carts? 307 00:15:46,160 --> 00:15:50,160 Speaker 1: Would we trigger a riot? Would we have to decide? Uh? 308 00:15:50,200 --> 00:15:52,920 Speaker 1: Good work line that AP Forensics really did the trick 309 00:15:54,280 --> 00:15:58,320 Speaker 1: we made these. They're really good, lightweight, strong, durable. I 310 00:15:58,360 --> 00:16:00,280 Speaker 1: waved my hands over them like I was on home 311 00:16:00,280 --> 00:16:05,320 Speaker 1: shopping video. Neat. Her voice was lovely, her hair was 312 00:16:05,400 --> 00:16:07,320 Speaker 1: limp and stringy, and there was something wrong with the 313 00:16:07,320 --> 00:16:10,480 Speaker 1: way she looked at me, squinting. Hadn't she warn't glasses 314 00:16:10,520 --> 00:16:13,040 Speaker 1: in high school? I wondered what had happened to them? 315 00:16:13,440 --> 00:16:15,880 Speaker 1: Thought about how little difference a better shopping cart would 316 00:16:15,920 --> 00:16:18,920 Speaker 1: make to someone who could barely see. She squinted harder 317 00:16:18,920 --> 00:16:23,920 Speaker 1: at me. You go to burbank. Hi, don't you I nodded, yes, ma'am. 318 00:16:24,520 --> 00:16:28,960 Speaker 1: They made her smile, pretty smile. Is this like a 319 00:16:29,000 --> 00:16:33,840 Speaker 1: shop project or something? I shook my head. Nothing like that. 320 00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:38,040 Speaker 1: I looked around. It was well a factory Encino was 321 00:16:38,040 --> 00:16:41,080 Speaker 1: shutting down, so we had a communist party there made these. 322 00:16:42,520 --> 00:16:44,960 Speaker 1: You had a communist party. She really did have a 323 00:16:44,960 --> 00:16:48,720 Speaker 1: pretty smile. That's epic. And you made these kids today. 324 00:16:48,760 --> 00:16:52,640 Speaker 1: You're so ingenious. Give me hope for the future. Charrelle 325 00:16:52,640 --> 00:16:56,360 Speaker 1: giggled a little at that. Welcome back, Cherrell. We made 326 00:16:56,400 --> 00:16:59,480 Speaker 1: them for you, all of you. The white lady nodded. 327 00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:04,359 Speaker 1: When do you graduate this month? She nodded again. What 328 00:17:04,359 --> 00:17:07,879 Speaker 1: are you doing after? I'm going to Glendale Community College 329 00:17:07,880 --> 00:17:11,120 Speaker 1: for an associates and business administration. Then I was going 330 00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:13,960 Speaker 1: to try for financial aid at Northridge. I'd said this 331 00:17:14,040 --> 00:17:16,680 Speaker 1: so many times to so many people. It just tumbled out. 332 00:17:16,840 --> 00:17:18,720 Speaker 1: I want to stay close to home, save money. 333 00:17:19,720 --> 00:17:20,320 Speaker 2: She nodded. 334 00:17:20,640 --> 00:17:23,160 Speaker 1: That's exactly what I did. Straight a's all the way. 335 00:17:23,359 --> 00:17:26,560 Speaker 1: Watch out for Calculus for finance, my jors. It's brutal. 336 00:17:28,040 --> 00:17:29,760 Speaker 1: I felt like I had been punched in the gut. 337 00:17:30,400 --> 00:17:32,080 Speaker 1: I didn't know how she'd ended up sleeping on a 338 00:17:32,119 --> 00:17:34,440 Speaker 1: park bench. But I hadn't thought that maybe it involved 339 00:17:34,680 --> 00:17:39,880 Speaker 1: getting the same kinds of grades I was hoping to get. Well. Uh, 340 00:17:40,320 --> 00:17:42,760 Speaker 1: I swallowed hard because my eyes were threatening to overflow 341 00:17:42,760 --> 00:17:46,800 Speaker 1: with tears, deep breath. I don't know if you all 342 00:17:46,800 --> 00:17:50,240 Speaker 1: can use these, but we hope maybe you could. They're 343 00:17:50,280 --> 00:17:55,359 Speaker 1: really good, light strong, they look really good. She was 344 00:17:55,400 --> 00:17:59,840 Speaker 1: being polite, she had good manners. Thank you. Can we 345 00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:03,000 Speaker 1: I mean, can we leave them with you to give out? 346 00:18:04,080 --> 00:18:08,480 Speaker 1: She smiled and looked understanding, condescending, even like, oh honey, 347 00:18:08,520 --> 00:18:12,679 Speaker 1: you have no idea, but also but you will. I'm 348 00:18:12,720 --> 00:18:16,680 Speaker 1: sure I can figure something out. We walked away in silence, 349 00:18:17,119 --> 00:18:20,119 Speaker 1: but once we were out of earshot, Charrell said, you 350 00:18:20,160 --> 00:18:21,960 Speaker 1: think she's going to try and sell them, I mean 351 00:18:22,160 --> 00:18:25,679 Speaker 1: to the other people. I scowled at her. I was 352 00:18:25,680 --> 00:18:29,159 Speaker 1: so unaccountably pissed at her, but she was just being Charrelle, 353 00:18:29,480 --> 00:18:31,560 Speaker 1: No dummy, She's going to give them away to her friends. 354 00:18:32,400 --> 00:18:34,760 Speaker 1: It was dawned now, pretty and pink, and the birds 355 00:18:34,760 --> 00:18:36,600 Speaker 1: were waking up and saying hello to each other at 356 00:18:36,600 --> 00:18:40,680 Speaker 1: the tops of their voices. Chelle, what are you doing 357 00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:44,440 Speaker 1: after graduation? Girl? I'm going to sleep in every morning 358 00:18:44,520 --> 00:18:50,720 Speaker 1: for a month. But after that, you mean college, Yeah, 359 00:18:51,160 --> 00:18:53,760 Speaker 1: we turned left on Magnolia, the fancy stores to their 360 00:18:53,760 --> 00:18:56,800 Speaker 1: twenty four hour security guards. Some of those guys had 361 00:18:56,800 --> 00:18:59,960 Speaker 1: familiar faces a couple years before they had been seen. 362 00:19:01,400 --> 00:19:04,720 Speaker 1: They were the lucky ones. The unlucky ones were barely visible, 363 00:19:04,800 --> 00:19:07,840 Speaker 1: wrapped in blankets and curled up real small behind signboards 364 00:19:07,840 --> 00:19:11,520 Speaker 1: and trash cans. Some of them would have familiar faces, 365 00:19:12,600 --> 00:19:15,840 Speaker 1: but only because they didn't take advantage of these deals. 366 00:19:16,920 --> 00:19:19,520 Speaker 2: That's right, if you want to stay off the streets 367 00:19:19,600 --> 00:19:21,840 Speaker 2: or on the streets, but in a way that's like 368 00:19:21,880 --> 00:19:25,120 Speaker 2: a nice street, you know, Like what's a good streets 369 00:19:25,119 --> 00:19:30,360 Speaker 2: Sunset Boulevard, Yeah, Sunset Boulevard. That one's from the songs. 370 00:19:31,160 --> 00:19:33,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, Sister's a mercy song about it. 371 00:19:33,480 --> 00:19:36,040 Speaker 2: I like, sure, that's probably a happy song. 372 00:19:36,080 --> 00:19:39,320 Speaker 1: I'd imagine, Yeah, this was a mercy famously happy band. 373 00:19:40,280 --> 00:19:43,560 Speaker 2: All right. Well, I'm gonna just assume that and go 374 00:19:43,600 --> 00:19:46,600 Speaker 2: ahead with my life scheduling music to play during this 375 00:19:46,720 --> 00:19:49,680 Speaker 2: birthday party. 376 00:19:50,160 --> 00:19:52,520 Speaker 1: Because my birthday party to play Sisters a Mercy, But 377 00:19:52,640 --> 00:19:54,720 Speaker 1: instead you're gonna play these ads. 378 00:20:02,640 --> 00:20:07,120 Speaker 2: Well, I hope. Eight year old Kindle from Duluth enjoys 379 00:20:07,160 --> 00:20:10,400 Speaker 2: the birthday party soundtrack I put together, featuring that Sisters 380 00:20:10,400 --> 00:20:13,000 Speaker 2: of Mercy's song, and also a minute and a half 381 00:20:13,040 --> 00:20:15,120 Speaker 2: of me explaining to you that I'm going to put 382 00:20:15,280 --> 00:20:20,160 Speaker 2: music in the little boy's birthday After that, it's pure 383 00:20:20,200 --> 00:20:21,000 Speaker 2: sca baby. 384 00:20:21,880 --> 00:20:26,040 Speaker 1: Do you ever find yourself like in regular conversations and 385 00:20:26,119 --> 00:20:28,760 Speaker 1: wanting to pivot to ads? Like it just gets to you. 386 00:20:29,359 --> 00:20:32,919 Speaker 2: It's like, how I imagine a great baseball player, Nolan Ryance. 387 00:20:32,960 --> 00:20:35,240 Speaker 2: Sometimes he just throws a ball as hard as he 388 00:20:35,280 --> 00:20:38,000 Speaker 2: fucking can. Yeah, like it probably comes out of nowhere. 389 00:20:38,080 --> 00:20:39,919 Speaker 2: Unless you know him, then you're just like, oh, that's Nolan. 390 00:20:40,000 --> 00:20:42,480 Speaker 2: He's just he throws a speedball every now and again. 391 00:20:42,520 --> 00:20:44,240 Speaker 2: He can't stop himself too good at it. 392 00:20:44,359 --> 00:20:51,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, Well, now that we're back from those ads college, 393 00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:53,920 Speaker 1: she blew air out. My mom has been asking me 394 00:20:53,960 --> 00:20:58,720 Speaker 1: about that too. But you got into Glendale CC, right, Yeah, 395 00:20:58,720 --> 00:21:01,439 Speaker 1: I got in linked her arm with mine. In the 396 00:21:01,480 --> 00:21:04,240 Speaker 1: old days a year ago, two years ago, we'd come 397 00:21:04,280 --> 00:21:07,159 Speaker 1: down to Magnolia on a Saturday and shop or window 398 00:21:07,160 --> 00:21:10,560 Speaker 1: shop with the throngs of nice people like an outdoor mall. 399 00:21:11,280 --> 00:21:13,720 Speaker 1: We loved the high class vintage places that had survived 400 00:21:13,720 --> 00:21:16,600 Speaker 1: the transition to Coteur brands because it was the owners 401 00:21:16,640 --> 00:21:19,520 Speaker 1: behind the counter, not shop clerks whose fear of losing 402 00:21:19,600 --> 00:21:22,679 Speaker 1: their jobs made them mean, and the owners would let 403 00:21:22,720 --> 00:21:25,359 Speaker 1: people like us in, let us try on clothes we 404 00:21:25,359 --> 00:21:28,760 Speaker 1: could never afford. Hadn't done that since junior year. And 405 00:21:28,800 --> 00:21:30,879 Speaker 1: it wasn't the same at six am with the stores 406 00:21:30,920 --> 00:21:34,080 Speaker 1: all closed, but still it felt so good to be 407 00:21:34,119 --> 00:21:36,399 Speaker 1: with my bestie on this street, arm in arm, like 408 00:21:36,440 --> 00:21:39,600 Speaker 1: we were kids without a care in the world. I 409 00:21:39,640 --> 00:21:42,640 Speaker 1: got in like it was a death sentence. But I'm 410 00:21:42,640 --> 00:21:50,080 Speaker 1: not going charrelle. Why that's side. Come on, I knew 411 00:21:50,880 --> 00:21:54,920 Speaker 1: you could get a loan, she snorted. How you think 412 00:21:54,920 --> 00:21:56,439 Speaker 1: that white lady in the park living out of a 413 00:21:56,440 --> 00:21:59,600 Speaker 1: shopping cart. Girl, you borrow a dollar for college, you 414 00:21:59,640 --> 00:22:02,480 Speaker 1: pay back, and you miss a payment, you pay back 415 00:22:02,480 --> 00:22:04,560 Speaker 1: one hundred. I want to spend my life on the 416 00:22:04,640 --> 00:22:06,639 Speaker 1: run from a loan shark. I'll borrow money from an 417 00:22:06,680 --> 00:22:11,160 Speaker 1: honest criminal on the corner. Not some university. We had 418 00:22:11,200 --> 00:22:14,359 Speaker 1: mandatory classes on debt management and student borrowing, and I 419 00:22:14,560 --> 00:22:16,840 Speaker 1: had to admit that this is what they added up to. 420 00:22:17,440 --> 00:22:19,880 Speaker 1: When you looked at them carefully. This was pretty much 421 00:22:20,160 --> 00:22:24,480 Speaker 1: what they were saying, but Charrell, I didn't have anything 422 00:22:24,480 --> 00:22:26,800 Speaker 1: else to say. When you're right, you're right. Charrell was right, 423 00:22:27,400 --> 00:22:29,879 Speaker 1: So what was I going to do? I want to 424 00:22:29,880 --> 00:22:30,680 Speaker 1: get some breakfast. 425 00:22:31,600 --> 00:22:32,080 Speaker 2: Bibi's. 426 00:22:33,560 --> 00:22:36,320 Speaker 1: They had the biggest portions in Burbank, pancakes the size 427 00:22:36,320 --> 00:22:39,479 Speaker 1: of manhole covers, coffee, and buckets. We used to go 428 00:22:39,520 --> 00:22:41,840 Speaker 1: there for breakfast after morning swim team at the y 429 00:22:42,600 --> 00:22:46,520 Speaker 1: hadn't been in a year at least. Hell yeah, Cherrell 430 00:22:46,560 --> 00:22:49,080 Speaker 1: linked arms with me. We didn't talk about school, or 431 00:22:49,119 --> 00:22:52,159 Speaker 1: borrowing money or communist parties for the rest of the morning. 432 00:22:54,880 --> 00:22:57,639 Speaker 1: The shopping carts were everywhere, pushed by homeless people all 433 00:22:57,680 --> 00:23:00,600 Speaker 1: around Burbank. You could spot them a mile away every 434 00:23:00,600 --> 00:23:03,080 Speaker 1: time I saw one. In the weeks afterward, I felt 435 00:23:03,080 --> 00:23:07,080 Speaker 1: a little warm tingle I made that I was eighteen 436 00:23:07,160 --> 00:23:09,080 Speaker 1: years old and I had finally had something to show 437 00:23:09,080 --> 00:23:10,960 Speaker 1: for the years i'd been walking around on the earth. 438 00:23:12,080 --> 00:23:14,679 Speaker 1: The Communist party at Steelbridge didn't make the news, but 439 00:23:14,720 --> 00:23:17,080 Speaker 1: the kids who'd been there gossiped about it, and I 440 00:23:17,119 --> 00:23:20,080 Speaker 1: was the coolest girl in school the last month. A 441 00:23:20,119 --> 00:23:22,199 Speaker 1: couple times I got to deny having anything to do 442 00:23:22,240 --> 00:23:24,640 Speaker 1: with it. When impressionable freshmen came up to me and asked, 443 00:23:24,640 --> 00:23:28,760 Speaker 1: it feels true. I'd organized the whole thing. I coasted 444 00:23:28,800 --> 00:23:33,359 Speaker 1: along towards graduation on autopilot. My finals were all done. 445 00:23:33,600 --> 00:23:36,719 Speaker 1: My acceptance letter from Glendale CC was stuck to the fridge, 446 00:23:36,720 --> 00:23:39,680 Speaker 1: and with it the letter pre approving my student loan. 447 00:23:40,760 --> 00:23:43,080 Speaker 1: Every time I looked at it, I got the opposite 448 00:23:43,080 --> 00:23:44,760 Speaker 1: feeling to the one I got when I saw one 449 00:23:44,800 --> 00:23:48,320 Speaker 1: of those shopping carts. Mama paid for the gown and 450 00:23:48,359 --> 00:23:51,480 Speaker 1: mortar board rental for my graduation, and Tisha made fun 451 00:23:51,520 --> 00:23:53,240 Speaker 1: of me as I tried it on in the mirror. 452 00:23:55,240 --> 00:23:57,160 Speaker 1: When my phone twipped at me that night at three 453 00:23:57,160 --> 00:24:01,040 Speaker 1: a m. And I answered it, Tisha mouthed, I'm telling 454 00:24:01,400 --> 00:24:03,800 Speaker 1: like she always did, and I rolled my eyes like 455 00:24:03,880 --> 00:24:07,639 Speaker 1: I always did. Sharrell, You're gonna get me killed, Mama, 456 00:24:07,680 --> 00:24:15,160 Speaker 1: isn't joking? LINEE been along? Silence You okay? That walk 457 00:24:15,200 --> 00:24:19,160 Speaker 1: away you met at the party with the hair, Yeah, 458 00:24:19,240 --> 00:24:20,919 Speaker 1: I got a light feeling in my head, a light 459 00:24:20,960 --> 00:24:24,520 Speaker 1: feeling in my guts. You still know how to get 460 00:24:24,520 --> 00:24:25,120 Speaker 1: in touch with her? 461 00:24:25,960 --> 00:24:26,600 Speaker 2: Not a question? 462 00:24:27,800 --> 00:24:30,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, Tisha stared at me hard. She could tell from 463 00:24:30,880 --> 00:24:34,600 Speaker 1: that one word something was up. Charrell you're not gonna 464 00:24:35,840 --> 00:24:39,359 Speaker 1: you could come too, Like I hadn't thought that thought 465 00:24:39,400 --> 00:24:41,840 Speaker 1: at least once a day for weeks and weeks, every 466 00:24:41,880 --> 00:24:44,280 Speaker 1: time I thought about graduation, every time I looked at 467 00:24:44,280 --> 00:24:48,400 Speaker 1: that letter on the fridge, Charrelle, it be an adventure, 468 00:24:49,320 --> 00:24:54,080 Speaker 1: the adventure, what do you have to lose? I looked 469 00:24:54,119 --> 00:24:56,720 Speaker 1: at Tisha. She had always been my mini me, and 470 00:24:56,760 --> 00:24:59,240 Speaker 1: tag along had turned into a truly good person. While 471 00:24:59,280 --> 00:25:03,440 Speaker 1: I watched funny and sweet and trustworthy and sassy so sassy, 472 00:25:04,080 --> 00:25:06,840 Speaker 1: I thought about Mama. I thought about Charrelle in those 473 00:25:06,840 --> 00:25:09,280 Speaker 1: times we'd gone shopping together, or hung out or gone 474 00:25:09,280 --> 00:25:13,800 Speaker 1: out for sports. I don't know Cherrelle, Honestly, I don't know. 475 00:25:14,680 --> 00:25:17,440 Speaker 1: She drew in a breath, but I'd hate to lose it, 476 00:25:17,600 --> 00:25:22,760 Speaker 1: whatever it is. Oh, Titia was staring at me like 477 00:25:22,800 --> 00:25:26,480 Speaker 1: I might explode. I got that info though from that 478 00:25:26,560 --> 00:25:29,239 Speaker 1: lady with the hair. I felt like the words were 479 00:25:29,280 --> 00:25:33,879 Speaker 1: coming out of someone else's mouth. Okay, don't think I 480 00:25:33,880 --> 00:25:36,080 Speaker 1: should say over the phone, though, I'll bring it to 481 00:25:36,080 --> 00:25:39,400 Speaker 1: school tomorrow. Put it under your door, mat, I'll get 482 00:25:39,400 --> 00:25:44,040 Speaker 1: it tonight. Oh, I closed my eyes. You can knock 483 00:25:44,080 --> 00:25:46,760 Speaker 1: on the window when you get here. Don't want to 484 00:25:46,760 --> 00:25:53,040 Speaker 1: wake you up, get you in trouble. Maybe okay, okay bye. 485 00:25:53,040 --> 00:25:58,600 Speaker 1: Then she wasn't at graduation. I thought of her every 486 00:25:58,680 --> 00:26:02,240 Speaker 1: day that summer, working gig jobs, rating search results, saving 487 00:26:02,320 --> 00:26:05,200 Speaker 1: money for school. I kept the address of the walk 488 00:26:05,240 --> 00:26:08,280 Speaker 1: away Lady with the hair, but I lost it somehow. 489 00:26:08,960 --> 00:26:11,359 Speaker 1: Sometimes I think I see her dressed like a homeless 490 00:26:11,920 --> 00:26:14,719 Speaker 1: but it always turns out to be someone else. All 491 00:26:14,760 --> 00:26:16,600 Speaker 1: I tracked me down one day to ask if I 492 00:26:16,680 --> 00:26:19,880 Speaker 1: knew where she was. I shrugged and didn't even laugh 493 00:26:19,920 --> 00:26:23,080 Speaker 1: at the stupid little hat. Jrelle's mother called my mama 494 00:26:23,119 --> 00:26:24,919 Speaker 1: a bunch of times, but by the end of summer 495 00:26:25,280 --> 00:26:30,000 Speaker 1: that had stopped. The Semisadas through some good parties that summer, 496 00:26:30,320 --> 00:26:32,879 Speaker 1: and I got invited to some of them. None of 497 00:26:32,880 --> 00:26:37,080 Speaker 1: them were as epic as my Communist party. The first 498 00:26:37,200 --> 00:26:40,320 Speaker 1: day of Glendale CC, as I milled around with thousands 499 00:26:40,359 --> 00:26:43,840 Speaker 1: of other confused freshmen, I got a buzz. It was 500 00:26:43,880 --> 00:26:46,320 Speaker 1: an error message telling me that a message I'd never 501 00:26:46,359 --> 00:26:50,080 Speaker 1: sent had bounced. The address wasn't when I recognized, but 502 00:26:50,119 --> 00:26:53,639 Speaker 1: I knew who it was from. Rice Pudding Dash called me, 503 00:26:53,680 --> 00:26:57,520 Speaker 1: Maybe who else could it be? I started to write 504 00:26:57,520 --> 00:27:00,480 Speaker 1: it down carefully on a piece of paper, decided to 505 00:27:00,520 --> 00:27:03,840 Speaker 1: commit it to memory. I've never sent it a message, 506 00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:06,120 Speaker 1: but I think of it every day as I watch 507 00:27:06,200 --> 00:27:11,040 Speaker 1: my grades and my student loans roll in the. 508 00:27:11,480 --> 00:27:19,520 Speaker 2: End, ah lummer, I don't know, bummer, and also sounds 509 00:27:19,560 --> 00:27:21,280 Speaker 2: very familiar to like, I don't know. I've been thinking 510 00:27:21,280 --> 00:27:25,760 Speaker 2: a lot about the transition from being young to no 511 00:27:25,840 --> 00:27:29,320 Speaker 2: longer being young, and the fact that we will all 512 00:27:29,359 --> 00:27:32,720 Speaker 2: be continually processing Yeah, I guess because of the way 513 00:27:32,720 --> 00:27:36,399 Speaker 2: that the Internet prizes certain kinds of discourse. I feel 514 00:27:36,440 --> 00:27:37,800 Speaker 2: like the rest of our lives is going to be 515 00:27:37,880 --> 00:27:42,600 Speaker 2: watching our generations process getting old, which is exhausting to 516 00:27:42,600 --> 00:27:44,639 Speaker 2: think about. You should age out of being able to 517 00:27:44,640 --> 00:27:49,040 Speaker 2: be listened to public sphere. I remember hearing people in 518 00:27:49,080 --> 00:27:52,879 Speaker 2: the nineties and stuff complain about how old people didn't 519 00:27:52,920 --> 00:27:54,919 Speaker 2: have as much of a voice in media, and it 520 00:27:55,000 --> 00:27:57,520 Speaker 2: was like these perpetually young, good looking people and all 521 00:27:57,520 --> 00:28:00,560 Speaker 2: of your TV shows and movies, and I would like 522 00:28:00,640 --> 00:28:02,280 Speaker 2: to go back to that. It turns out it sucks 523 00:28:02,280 --> 00:28:04,760 Speaker 2: to watch everybody processed getting altered. 524 00:28:07,359 --> 00:28:10,280 Speaker 1: You're thinking because like Corey Doctor is writing this thinking 525 00:28:10,320 --> 00:28:12,280 Speaker 1: about you, so you're just thinking about, like what it 526 00:28:12,320 --> 00:28:15,240 Speaker 1: means to be graduating high school and often. 527 00:28:15,320 --> 00:28:19,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, that transition and that feeling I remember having 528 00:28:19,160 --> 00:28:21,120 Speaker 2: when I was young, of like feeling like I could 529 00:28:21,119 --> 00:28:24,119 Speaker 2: really do something different with my life than anybody had 530 00:28:24,160 --> 00:28:28,000 Speaker 2: done before. Yeah, and watching everyone that you kind of 531 00:28:28,000 --> 00:28:30,160 Speaker 2: had those dreams with all make the decision to get 532 00:28:30,200 --> 00:28:31,439 Speaker 2: student loans. 533 00:28:31,960 --> 00:28:36,119 Speaker 1: Yeah totally. I Mean what's interesting is I made the 534 00:28:36,200 --> 00:28:38,800 Speaker 1: other decision. I went walk away, right. 535 00:28:39,120 --> 00:28:40,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, I dropped out. 536 00:28:40,680 --> 00:28:43,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, I dropped out of college as soon as I 537 00:28:43,320 --> 00:28:45,280 Speaker 1: was like, oh, I mean I can ride freight trains 538 00:28:45,320 --> 00:28:48,360 Speaker 1: and like live in abandoned buildings. That sounds amazing, you know. 539 00:28:48,560 --> 00:28:49,960 Speaker 2: I lived in the back of a car. 540 00:28:50,200 --> 00:28:54,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, And like I'm glad I did that, and I 541 00:28:54,120 --> 00:28:57,600 Speaker 1: think it set me up as a creative professional very well. 542 00:28:57,600 --> 00:28:59,440 Speaker 1: It like fucked me over in a lot of ways. Right. 543 00:28:59,760 --> 00:29:02,160 Speaker 1: But the thing I'm watching is a lot of people 544 00:29:02,160 --> 00:29:05,320 Speaker 1: in my periphery who maybe made it to their mid thirties, 545 00:29:05,360 --> 00:29:08,040 Speaker 1: like sometimes hanging out with people who'd sort of gone 546 00:29:08,080 --> 00:29:11,520 Speaker 1: walk away yeah, but then didn't themselves, are starting to 547 00:29:11,520 --> 00:29:17,000 Speaker 1: have this like third life crisis, you know, instead of 548 00:29:17,080 --> 00:29:20,920 Speaker 1: mid life crisis. Yeah, where they're like, oh, like maybe 549 00:29:21,000 --> 00:29:24,440 Speaker 1: fuck these student loans and maybe like fuck this endless 550 00:29:24,480 --> 00:29:26,000 Speaker 1: series of dead end jobs. 551 00:29:26,120 --> 00:29:28,800 Speaker 2: And you know, yeah, I hear a lot of people 552 00:29:28,840 --> 00:29:32,360 Speaker 2: complain about like the stuff they didn't do when they 553 00:29:32,400 --> 00:29:35,760 Speaker 2: were younger, and I do think a lot of people 554 00:29:35,800 --> 00:29:38,400 Speaker 2: have that experience. If you have that one really good 555 00:29:38,560 --> 00:29:41,960 Speaker 2: kind of I could have pivoted from this to doing 556 00:29:42,000 --> 00:29:44,760 Speaker 2: something very different with my life experience. You know it's 557 00:29:44,760 --> 00:29:48,840 Speaker 2: the Communist party, Yeah, printing those shopping carts, like feeling 558 00:29:48,920 --> 00:29:54,560 Speaker 2: that moment of potential and possibility and risk get further 559 00:29:54,640 --> 00:29:58,160 Speaker 2: and further into your rear view mirror as you head 560 00:29:58,200 --> 00:30:01,640 Speaker 2: on in a path that now could have been predicted. 561 00:30:01,720 --> 00:30:04,080 Speaker 2: I guess as a yeahs a vibe. 562 00:30:04,440 --> 00:30:07,480 Speaker 1: And it's hard because it's like I'll do talks at colleges, 563 00:30:07,600 --> 00:30:11,280 Speaker 1: right and people will be like, hey, what do you 564 00:30:11,320 --> 00:30:13,680 Speaker 1: think about? Like people have straight up asked me at talks, 565 00:30:13,720 --> 00:30:16,640 Speaker 1: being like should I drop out of college? Yeah? And 566 00:30:16,680 --> 00:30:19,040 Speaker 1: I've been like, look, I have no regrets about the 567 00:30:19,040 --> 00:30:21,560 Speaker 1: fact that I dropped out of college. I cannot recommend 568 00:30:21,600 --> 00:30:24,320 Speaker 1: in good conscience one way or the other what people 569 00:30:24,400 --> 00:30:26,760 Speaker 1: do with their lives around that kind of stuff, because 570 00:30:26,760 --> 00:30:28,960 Speaker 1: I one, it's like this like feeling of weight where 571 00:30:28,960 --> 00:30:30,600 Speaker 1: I'm like, I don't know what you're dealing with. Well, 572 00:30:30,600 --> 00:30:32,800 Speaker 1: if you're just screwed with a bunch of debt, maybe 573 00:30:32,800 --> 00:30:34,600 Speaker 1: you should finish and get the degree at this you know, 574 00:30:34,640 --> 00:30:37,280 Speaker 1: who knows, right, it's gonna be different for everyone. I'm 575 00:30:37,320 --> 00:30:40,720 Speaker 1: still grateful for the decisions I made, but also like, 576 00:30:41,720 --> 00:30:44,000 Speaker 1: I've got a lot of dead friends. I was like, Oh, 577 00:30:44,080 --> 00:30:46,400 Speaker 1: I'm going to go off and live this adventurous, risky life, 578 00:30:46,400 --> 00:30:48,560 Speaker 1: and a bunch of the people around me died in 579 00:30:48,600 --> 00:30:49,280 Speaker 1: their twenties. 580 00:30:49,640 --> 00:30:52,240 Speaker 2: You know. Yeah, I think all the time about the 581 00:30:52,280 --> 00:30:54,400 Speaker 2: line from a Rainy Night and Soho when of Shane 582 00:30:54,480 --> 00:30:58,000 Speaker 2: McGowan's great songs. We watched our friends grow up together, 583 00:30:58,160 --> 00:31:00,280 Speaker 2: and we saw them as they fell. Some of them 584 00:31:00,280 --> 00:31:03,640 Speaker 2: fell into heaven, some of them fell into hell. And 585 00:31:03,680 --> 00:31:07,120 Speaker 2: it's one of those flights that a few times a 586 00:31:07,200 --> 00:31:10,720 Speaker 2: year I'll get news about somebody and that will just 587 00:31:10,920 --> 00:31:13,080 Speaker 2: ring like a bell in my heart. God. 588 00:31:13,120 --> 00:31:13,960 Speaker 1: He was a real one. 589 00:31:14,240 --> 00:31:19,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, man, he lived it. 590 00:31:19,800 --> 00:31:21,240 Speaker 1: You know. He died a little bit young, but he 591 00:31:21,320 --> 00:31:23,200 Speaker 1: died a lot later than I think he thought he 592 00:31:23,280 --> 00:31:23,800 Speaker 1: was gonna. 593 00:31:23,880 --> 00:31:28,600 Speaker 2: For Shane McGowan, he died ancient. I'll say that I'll say, like, yeah, 594 00:31:28,760 --> 00:31:31,320 Speaker 2: it's not saying I don't wish he had a healthier life, 595 00:31:31,320 --> 00:31:34,120 Speaker 2: but he did pretty good living the life Shane McGough 596 00:31:34,120 --> 00:31:34,640 Speaker 2: at Lift. 597 00:31:35,040 --> 00:31:37,000 Speaker 1: One of the things I really like about this story 598 00:31:37,160 --> 00:31:41,400 Speaker 1: is the two characters balancing that right. Both of them 599 00:31:41,440 --> 00:31:44,320 Speaker 1: are going to do the Communist Party, and one of 600 00:31:44,360 --> 00:31:46,960 Speaker 1: them is going to go to community college on loans 601 00:31:46,960 --> 00:31:49,479 Speaker 1: that she knows are dangerous, and one of them is 602 00:31:49,520 --> 00:31:52,400 Speaker 1: going to go off and join a revolution that's dangerous, 603 00:31:52,480 --> 00:31:55,400 Speaker 1: and for anyone who wants to know more about how 604 00:31:55,600 --> 00:31:59,760 Speaker 1: that goes, I really highly recommend walk Away by Cory 605 00:31:59,800 --> 00:32:00,840 Speaker 1: Doctor great book. 606 00:32:01,840 --> 00:32:04,560 Speaker 2: One of my favorite sci fi books of a long time. 607 00:32:04,560 --> 00:32:07,640 Speaker 2: It feels like ye, I liked it a lot. I 608 00:32:07,720 --> 00:32:12,720 Speaker 2: like that depiction of revolution. We talk a lot about 609 00:32:13,480 --> 00:32:15,960 Speaker 2: what I think is going to happen in the process 610 00:32:15,960 --> 00:32:18,800 Speaker 2: of happening, which is not the full scale collapse of 611 00:32:18,840 --> 00:32:23,200 Speaker 2: the United States or kind of any other massive nation state, 612 00:32:23,360 --> 00:32:27,840 Speaker 2: because the apparatus of physical control is so good, but 613 00:32:27,960 --> 00:32:31,360 Speaker 2: the apparatus of physical control is also extremely expensive. And 614 00:32:31,360 --> 00:32:33,000 Speaker 2: one of the things I like about walk Away is 615 00:32:33,000 --> 00:32:36,520 Speaker 2: it depicts the revolution being a thing that builds in 616 00:32:36,680 --> 00:32:39,520 Speaker 2: areas where the direct ability of the state to exert 617 00:32:39,560 --> 00:32:42,920 Speaker 2: control has crumbled because it's not profitable for the state 618 00:32:43,000 --> 00:32:45,720 Speaker 2: to control that, and the state is effectively so corporatized 619 00:32:46,280 --> 00:32:49,800 Speaker 2: that you actually get, in some ways a preferable situation 620 00:32:49,960 --> 00:32:53,200 Speaker 2: to like a traditional authoritarian state where there's some sort 621 00:32:53,240 --> 00:32:56,200 Speaker 2: of like ego thing behind the people running it, of 622 00:32:56,280 --> 00:32:59,719 Speaker 2: like maintaining a certain level of geographical control, as opposed 623 00:32:59,760 --> 00:33:02,920 Speaker 2: to we're going to hold on to what makes a profit. Yeah, 624 00:33:02,960 --> 00:33:05,360 Speaker 2: and in the areas that are no longer profitable for us, 625 00:33:05,920 --> 00:33:08,320 Speaker 2: I think, is where you're going to see new ways 626 00:33:08,320 --> 00:33:12,560 Speaker 2: of life explored and people will figure out what survival 627 00:33:12,640 --> 00:33:15,400 Speaker 2: looks like. Yeah, you know in the world that is 628 00:33:15,440 --> 00:33:18,719 Speaker 2: being created by climate change in those areas, right. 629 00:33:18,880 --> 00:33:19,080 Speaker 1: Yeah. 630 00:33:19,400 --> 00:33:22,280 Speaker 2: Part of why I liked walk Away so much and 631 00:33:22,320 --> 00:33:24,920 Speaker 2: what I felt was so believable about Walkaways because when 632 00:33:24,960 --> 00:33:27,200 Speaker 2: I was in North East Syria in twenty nineteen, I mean, 633 00:33:27,200 --> 00:33:31,040 Speaker 2: that's what Rojava essentially is totally. It's an area where, 634 00:33:31,120 --> 00:33:33,440 Speaker 2: because of a variety of reasons, and it was not 635 00:33:33,720 --> 00:33:37,120 Speaker 2: profitable or feasible for the state to continue exerted control, 636 00:33:37,160 --> 00:33:39,640 Speaker 2: and so people got to try something new and walk 637 00:33:39,640 --> 00:33:43,840 Speaker 2: Away kind of reimagines that. But as like a social 638 00:33:44,000 --> 00:33:45,920 Speaker 2: movement as like a trend. 639 00:33:45,720 --> 00:33:47,600 Speaker 1: Almost a subculture in a way. 640 00:33:47,720 --> 00:33:51,800 Speaker 2: Yeah yeah, subculture based around dropping out and building something 641 00:33:51,840 --> 00:33:55,440 Speaker 2: new at the margins that you know grows and the 642 00:33:55,480 --> 00:33:57,280 Speaker 2: way that I think we all hope something will one 643 00:33:57,360 --> 00:34:00,600 Speaker 2: day in Like the cracks, it does well enough that 644 00:34:00,640 --> 00:34:02,880 Speaker 2: it pushes them wide or open until the whole thing 645 00:34:02,920 --> 00:34:07,160 Speaker 2: falls apart, which is I think a more realistic version 646 00:34:07,320 --> 00:34:10,560 Speaker 2: of a good future. Then we'll finally figure out how 647 00:34:10,560 --> 00:34:13,200 Speaker 2: to do a nineteen seventeen again, but this time it'll 648 00:34:13,200 --> 00:34:16,400 Speaker 2: work better totally. It'll work forever it instead of falling 649 00:34:16,440 --> 00:34:19,600 Speaker 2: apart like eighty years later in a really embarrassing way. 650 00:34:19,640 --> 00:34:22,480 Speaker 1: This wheel is so much rounder, like it is one 651 00:34:22,560 --> 00:34:24,720 Speaker 1: hundred percent rounder than the previous wheel. 652 00:34:24,880 --> 00:34:28,080 Speaker 2: Yeah yeah, I know that most of the people who 653 00:34:28,120 --> 00:34:30,359 Speaker 2: are prominent in the movement right now are some kind 654 00:34:30,360 --> 00:34:32,880 Speaker 2: of grifter or con man, but that will magically not 655 00:34:33,040 --> 00:34:35,000 Speaker 2: happen when we get it together well enough to do 656 00:34:35,040 --> 00:34:38,960 Speaker 2: a revolution. Prove me wrong, kids, prove me wrong, no, absolutely, 657 00:34:39,080 --> 00:34:42,600 Speaker 2: I please, no, Like I'm desperate to be proved wrong. 658 00:34:43,080 --> 00:34:45,520 Speaker 1: I will eat my words. I will print them out 659 00:34:45,520 --> 00:34:46,320 Speaker 1: on a piece of paper. 660 00:34:46,360 --> 00:34:48,759 Speaker 2: And oh man, if you guys want me to get 661 00:34:48,840 --> 00:34:51,120 Speaker 2: up in front of the Revolutionary Committee every day and 662 00:34:51,160 --> 00:34:54,080 Speaker 2: be like, wow, I fucked up. Yeah, Like yeah, do 663 00:34:54,160 --> 00:34:56,680 Speaker 2: it and make a really good future for everybody. I 664 00:34:56,719 --> 00:34:57,239 Speaker 2: would love that. 665 00:34:59,160 --> 00:35:03,200 Speaker 1: Well that's it for this week's cool Zone Media book Club, 666 00:35:03,320 --> 00:35:05,080 Speaker 1: and you can check us out next week when we'll 667 00:35:05,080 --> 00:35:07,000 Speaker 1: have more fiction. And I can't tell you what it 668 00:35:07,000 --> 00:35:08,279 Speaker 1: is because I don't know what it is yet. 669 00:35:08,960 --> 00:35:13,279 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's right. Until next time, folks stock up on 670 00:35:13,400 --> 00:35:22,040 Speaker 2: shopping carts. Yeah, it could Happen here as a production 671 00:35:22,120 --> 00:35:25,120 Speaker 2: of cool Zone Media. For more podcasts from cool Zone Media, 672 00:35:25,239 --> 00:35:28,040 Speaker 2: visit our website coolzonemedia dot com or check us out 673 00:35:28,040 --> 00:35:31,000 Speaker 2: on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen 674 00:35:31,040 --> 00:35:31,719 Speaker 2: to podcasts. 675 00:35:32,280 --> 00:35:34,400 Speaker 1: You can find sources for It Could Happen here, updated 676 00:35:34,480 --> 00:35:38,520 Speaker 1: monthly at coolzonemedia dot com slash sources. Thanks for listening.